Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Zero Hours Contracts

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the social and economic consequences of restricting zero-hours contracts to students and pensioners.

lord prior of brampton: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to question UIN HL893 that states that the government has not made an estimate of the social and economic consequences of restricting zero hours contracts to students and pensioners. The government has not assessed the social and economic consequences of restricting zero hours contracts to students and pensioners. The Matthew Taylor review found that zero hours contracts have a part to play in a modern, flexible labour market and benefit those who cannot or do not want to work in a regular contract. However, this government shares the concerns regarding flexible work arrangements. That is why in October 2016 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister asked Matthew Taylor to carry out an independent review to consider employment practices and whether they need to change to keep pace with modern business models. We are now considering the report and will respond in full later in the year.

Department for International Development

Iraq: Overseas Aid

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Christian, Yazidi and Shia minorities in Iraq are considered as vulnerable people in terms of UK humanitarian assistance; and if so, how this status is factored into UK aid programming both in Iraq and countries hosting refugees from these communities.

lord bates: The UK Government recognises the vulnerability of religious minorities in Iraq. DFID’s funding for Iraq and host countries of Iraqi refugees is based on humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality; and we aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that our assistance reaches those who need it most, including vulnerable people from minority communities such as Yazidis, Shia and Christians. DFID regularly challenges our partners in Iraq and host countries of Iraqi refugees to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities. We welcome information from all sources to help us to hold them to account.

Middle East: Refugees

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UNHCR’s vulnerability criteria in relation to refugees from Iraq or Syria; and whether they consider that religious identity should be included as a factor in this assessment.

lord bates: Our current assessment is that UNHCR’s guidelines are sufficient to identify risks to refugees from Iraq or Syria which arise from their religious identity. It is recognised that identification of faith can constitute vulnerability. We will continue to raise these issues on a regular basis with UNHCR.

Ministry of Justice

Sexual Offences: Convictions

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many convictions there were for the offences of (1) gross indecency, (2)attempted gross indecency, (3) buggery, and (4) attempted buggery, in England and Wales from 1987 to 2003.

baroness vere of norbiton: The number of offenders found guilty at all courts of all gross indecency and buggery offences in England and Wales from 1987 to 2003 can be viewed in the table.Offenders found guilty at all courts of selected sexual offences, England and Wales, 1987-2003(1)(2)YearBuggeryGross Indecency and Indecency between males19872571,19919883281,57919892571,19919902411,3241991229845199221380719931875921994189669199516956519961133811997120404199814140319991112952000106237200191267200269279200351294(1) Includes the following offences: Buggery includes Sexual Offences Act 1967 Section 1(4),3(1),12, Justice and Public Order 1994 sec 143, 144.Sexual offences Act 2000 sec1. Gross Indecency and Indecency between males includes Criminal Justice and Public 1994 Sec 144, Sexual Offences(Amendment) Act 2000 Sec 1, Indecency with Children Act 1960 Sec 1.(2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Prison Officers

lord ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Secretary of State for Justice intends to implement the ratio of personal responsibility for six prisoners being given to every prison officer, as stated during scrutiny of the Prisons and Courts Bill.

baroness vere of norbiton: We want our prisons to be places where staff and offenders feel safe and where those in our care are challenged and supported to make the most effective use of their time in custody to best prepare them for release.This is why we have committed to the introduction of the new Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) model will improve the way in which we case manage offenders through their sentence and on to release.We have therefore invested £100m to boost the front line by 2,500 prison officers by the end of December 2018. These additional officers will enable us to rollout the OMiC model. The key worker model is currently being rolled out across the prison estate which started with 11 ‘pathfinder’ prisons, 4 of which have had sufficient numbers of new officers to commence their keyworker sessions.

Department for Work and Pensions

Employment Schemes: Young People

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to replace funding from the European Social Fund for programmes supporting young people not in employment, education or training after the UK leaves the EU.

baroness buscombe: The government has set out a clear commitment to use money that comes back to the United Kingdom following withdrawal from the EU to create a United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund, Specifically designed to reduce inequalities between communities across our four nations. My department is working with other departments across Whitehall to develop the new fund.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking in response to the recent conclusions by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that the UK has not done enough to ensure that the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are reflected in UK law and policy.

baroness buscombe: The UK already has some of the strongest equalities legislation in the world, such the Equality Act 2010, and we will continue to make sure that these rights are protected. We have already responded to many points through our written response to a list of issues and a face-to-face dialogue with the UN Committee that oversees the Convention. We are currently reflecting on how we take forward the concluding observations, and are carefully considering our approach, which we will discuss with stakeholders in due course.

Local Housing Allowance

the lord bishop of rochester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they havemade of the impact of the freeze on Local Housing Allowance on levels of homelessness in England.

baroness buscombe: We have made no assessment of the impact of the policy to freeze Local Housing Allowance rates upon levels of homelessness. There is no clear evidence to suggest that the policy is contributing to increased homelessness. Further the latest statistics show that the number of homelessness acceptances in England has decreased slightly over the past year and the figures are very similar to the homelessness acceptances when the freeze commenced.

Personal Independence Payment

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many meetings they have held with the Chief Executives of Atos and Capita about Personal Independence Payment assessments since the General Election.

baroness buscombe: Her Majesty’s Government has had no meetings with the Chief Executives of either Independent Assessment Services (Atos) or Capita since the last General Election.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

National Parks

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that, within their 25 year plan for the environment, the ways in which they will protect and enhance the special qualities of the National Parks will be spelt out, in particular their commitment to the principle that those special qualities should take precedence over other conflicting demands for economic development.

lord gardiner of kimble: National parks cover nearly 10% of England’s land area and contain almost 30% of England’s internationally important wildlife sites. Plans to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage in national parks will be an important component of the 25 year plan for the environment. The plan will ensure that we use the insights of natural capital thinking to develop an approach which will help guide us.

English Nature

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will support English Nature in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities for designated landscapes.

lord gardiner of kimble: Natural England is the government’s advisory body for the natural environment in England, for which Defra is the sponsor department. Natural England’s responsibilities include helping to protect England’s nature and landscapes for people to enjoy and for the services they provide. Natural England is responsible for designating landscapes and protected areas in England. Defra works closely with Natural England to agree shared objectives on a strategic basis.

Nature Conservation

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that all important areas for biodiversity and wildlife, including those within National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, are protected and maintained when the UK leaves the EU.

lord gardiner of kimble: The government remains committed to being the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it. We will deliver this vision through an ambitious 25 year environment plan. The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will make sure the whole body of existing EU environmental law continues to have effect in UK law. The Bill will preserve EU law where it stands at the moment before we leave the EU. We are committed not only to maintaining but to enhancing environmental standards as we leave the E.U.

National Parks

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that, in arrangements for strategic planning in the UK, all proposed developments in areas adjacent to National Parks are required to take into account any negative consequences for the special qualities of National Parks, in particular their scenic views.

lord gardiner of kimble: The government is committed to making sure that national parks are subject to the highest protection in national planning policy, including on cross boundary issues. Local planning authorities, in preparing their plans, have a legal duty under the Localism Act 2011 to engage constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis to maximise the effectiveness of local plan preparation in the context of strategic cross boundary matters. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that great weight should be given, by local authorities when setting out their plans, to conserving landscape and scenic beauty in national parks and the Broads. In addition, national park authorities are statutory consultees on any planning application where development is likely to affect land in a national park.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Combined Authorities

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many proposals to establish a combined authority have been (1) received, (2) approved, and (3) rejected, since 8 May 2015.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Since 8 May 2015, the Secretary of State has received 10 proposals to establish a combined authority. He has not rejected any proposal and has, with the approval of Parliament, established four new combined authorities - in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Tees Valley, the West Midlands, and the West of England. In the case of the other 6 proposals, these have either been withdrawn by the area or decisions on them, either by the Secretary of State or the area, remain outstanding.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Transport

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish a position paper on the effect of Brexit on the transport sector; and if so, when.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Government has published a series of papers on the new deep and special partnership the UK wants to build with the EU, and these papers represent the hard work and detailed thinking that has been going on behind the scenes across Whitehall over the past twelve months.They offer pragmatic and innovative solutions to issues related to our withdrawal and the future deep and special partnership that we want with the European Union.The Government will publish further position papers on other issues in due course, providing more information to business and individuals, and informing our negotiations with the EU.

Department of Health

Drugs: Manufacturing Industries

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of manufacturers of medical products in restrictions of supply to pharmacists, and of the relationship of such restrictions to the pricing of those products.

lord o'shaughnessy: No such assessment has been made. However, the majority of products supplied through restricted wholesale models are branded medicines, for which prices are controlled by the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme. The Department, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders agreed best practice guidelines for dealing with supply and distribution of medicines. These set out that where restricted wholesale models are in place, manufacturers should put contingency arrangements in place so that pharmacies can obtain the product directly from the manufacturer if they cannot get it from their wholesaler.

Folic Acid

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any discussions have taken place with the Scottish Government following publication of theupdated recommendations on folic acidby the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition on 12 July.

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have had any discussions with the food industry about the updated recommendations on folic acid published by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition on 12 July.

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have had any discussions with the science community, inside or outside Government, regarding the updated recommendations on folic acid published by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition on 12 July.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) advises Public Health England and other United Kingdom Government organisations on nutrition and related health matters. The SACN has recently updated the evidence on folic acid in response to a request from Food Standards Scotland (FSS). In February 2016, FSS asked the SACN to provide advice on whether its previous recommendations regarding mandatory folic acid fortification (2006; 2009) still applied. Ministers are currently considering the issue of mandatory fortification in light of this and will respond in due course. As such, no discussions have yet been held with the Scottish Government, food industry, or the wider scientific community on this issue.

Health Services: Foreign Nationals

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the changes brought in by National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 may exacerbate health inequalities; whether they have made any furtherestimate ofthe savings to be made since publishingtheir impact assessment; if so, what is the difference between those two estimates; and whether they plan to reconsider those changes.

lord o'shaughnessy: Following a detailed public consultation that ran from December 2015 to March 2016, the Government set out in its response to that consultation in February 2017 that it intended to amend the existing Charging Regulations. Over the course of the consultation and decision-making process, the Government carefully considered the impact the changes may have on public health, health inequalities and on vulnerable groups. The regulations providing for these changes were introduced on 19 July 2017 alongside a published impact assessment which estimated that the net income per annum as a result of the new regulations would be up to £40 million per year. While the Government monitors the implementation of the regulations and their effects, no further estimates on the net income have been made since the publication of the impact assessment.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the action taken by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in 2012–13 to undertake enhanced pharmacovigilance alongside routine signal detection for the HPV vaccine was effective in preventing unfounded safety concerns; and if not, whether they will ask the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to conduct further heightened pharmacovigilance at specific centres to assess those who suspect they have an adversereaction to theHPV vaccination.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) put in place an enhanced form of pharmacovigilance for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine when the immunisation programme first commenced in 2008. This was because, at the time, the United Kingdom was the first country to implement a nationwide immunisation programme with the Cervarix brand of HPV vaccine. This enhanced form of pharmacovigilance was based primarily on the evaluation of general practice-derived electronic health record data, alongside Yellow Card reports. This has been effective in allowing the MHRA to determine that the reporting rate of particular suspected side effects, adjusted for under-reporting, is within the range of the expected natural incidence in the absence of HPV vaccination. As with all vaccines and medicines, the MHRA keeps the safety of HPV vaccine under continual review.The Commission on Human Medicines has advised that available evidence does not support a link between HPV vaccination and the development of chronic illnesses, and reviews of HPV vaccine safety undertaken by international health authorities have reached similar conclusions. Most recently, in July 2017, the World Health Organization’s vaccine safety committee concluded that it has found no new adverse events of concern for HPV vaccine based on many very large, high quality studies. The clinical assessment of individual patients remains the responsibility of their doctors and other healthcare providers.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials were used by marketing authorisation holdersfor the testing of HPV vaccines prior to approval by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccines available in the European Union were authorised by the European Medicines Agency, and a detailed summary of its evaluation of the pre-licensing clinical trials for each vaccine is available in the European public assessment reports. These reports confirm that randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were considered in the evaluation of each HPV vaccine prior to approval.

Drugs: Side Effects

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is possible to inform the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency of signs and symptoms that arise after a Yellow Card report has been submitted; and if so, how this should be done.

lord o'shaughnessy: Additional information can be submitted directly by the original reporter or by the pharmaceutical company as new information becomes available following the submission of the original report. Furthermore, follow-up information is frequently requested by the Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in order to assess Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reports more effectively and to improve the quality of information on the database. Once a Yellow Card (YC) report is submitted and entered onto the database, an acknowledgment letter or email is sent to the reporter to confirm receipt and advise of the ADR reference number. Additional information can be provided to the MHRA at any time following the submission of a YC report. The ADR reference number is required together with any additional information to ensure that this is added to the correct report. However, every effort is made to identify the correct report in instances where the ADR reference number has not been provided.